Vagrancy: U.S. v. Sorrels

Territory of Arkansas, County of Lawrence: the United States of Americato the constable of Uniontownship and the keeper of thejail of said countythese are to command you the said Constableforth with to convey and deliver into thecustody of the keeper of the jail of theCounty of Lawrence aforesaid the body ofRichard Sorrels of aforesaid taken broughtbefore me a justice of the peacewithin and for the county aforesaid andcharged before me upon the oath of John Wellsof and within said county that the said Sorrelswas loitering about and does no betake himself to any lawfull[sic] means to secure or supportfor him self and family there for I the saidJustice commit said Sorrels under the act ofvagrants and you the said keeper of the said jailare hereby required to receive the said RichardSorrels into your custody in the said jail and himthere safely keep untill[sic] he shall thencebe discharged by due course of lawgiven under my hand and sealat the County aforesaid this 27th day of Mayin the year of our Lord eighteen hundred andtwentyWilliam Jones JP

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Unemployment and poverty have been issues in Arkansas since people first arrived. Sadly, not everyone was able to succeed in the pursuit of new land and new opportunities. Whether through poor choices or outside circumstance, some of the transplants to Arkansas failed to thrive.

Transcription

Territory of Arkansas, County of Lawrence: the United States of Americato the constable of Uniontownship and the keeper of thejail of said countythese are to command you the said Constableforth with to convey and deliver into thecustody of the keeper of the jail of theCounty of Lawrence aforesaid the body ofRichard Sorrels of aforesaid taken broughtbefore me a justice of the peacewithin and for the county aforesaid andcharged before me upon the oath of John Wellsof and within said county that the said Sorrelswas loitering about and does no betake himself to any lawfull[sic] means to secure or supportfor him self and family there for I the saidJustice commit said Sorrels under the act ofvagrants and you the said keeper of the said jailare hereby required to receive the said RichardSorrels into your custody in the said jail and himthere safely keep untill[sic] he shall thencebe discharged by due course of lawgiven under my hand and sealat the County aforesaid this 27th day of Mayin the year of our Lord eighteen hundred andtwentyWilliam Jones JP

Description

This is the judgement from Williams Jones, a justice of the peace, against Richard Sorrels for vagrancy.

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